1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle trunks and the decklids pivotally mounted to a motor vehicle body for closing the trunk's access opening by a mechanism, in which a linkage supports the decklid with respect to the vehicle body. Additional support in the form of extendable struts that linearly expand to assist decklid displacement and a motorized lever engaged with the strut that permits the combination of the linkage and the strut to induce opening or closing displacement of the decklid as desired.
2. Background Art
For an automobile with a rear compartment or trunk, a system that automates opening and closing the trunk cover, known as a decklid, is not readily available in the domestic market for coupe/sedan automobiles. Current standard trunk hinges and power sources do not easily allow a robust and affordable design of an automatic opening-closing device for decklids, since the energy required in conventional constructions is not compatible with the conventional power systems.
Similar devices used for minivan or sport utility vehicle liftgates, such as a 2005 Chrysler Pacifica liftgate, uses a linear actuator mounted inside the liftgate water seal. Another liftgate opening mechanism is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,356. This invention uses gas struts maneuvered at their body attachment joints to increase and decrease their lifting capacity by strut alignment, thus achieving an automatic opening and closing of the liftgate. However, the differences between liftgate and rear trunk weighting, and the different displacement paths, introduce new design constraints, different motions, different loadings and different mounting configurations of the hinges and actuators that are not readily adapted to decklid opening and closing.
Other attempts to motorize by simply installing an electric motor mounted to direct-drive, shelf-attached hinges have not succeeded because a motor in this arrangement would need to be large to achieve the proper speed/torque to open a typical trunk lid within a reasonable time and with reasonable force to overcome wind or snow loads, and available space for such apparatus at the opening is severely restricted.